Air brushes have found uses in a variety of industries and have been used by hobbyists and artists. However, the use of air brushes by serious artists has been hampered in that air brushes have generally not provided the easiest means through which the airbrush may be cleaned to maintain accuracy and efficacy.
Sophisticated air brushes generally have dual action triggers. In the use of such triggers, pushing the trigger down provides for the flow of pressurized air through the air brush. The air is used to propel paint. Pulling the trigger back, towards the user, allows the flow of paint. The paint can then be propelled by the air towards the object to be painted. The dual action of pushing the trigger down and pulling the trigger back causes air to flow and propel paint towards a desired object.
In the operation of the trigger, the further back the trigger is pulled the greater the flow of paint that is allowed to be propelled. In many air brushes the trigger is attached to a needle which is spring biased so that the needle, at rest, is pushed forward within the air brush's paint path. The needle is pushed towards an opening through which paint is propelled when the air brush is in operation. When the needle is all the way forward, as when it is in the rest position, the paint flow opening is completely closed. As the needle is pulled back, by the operation of the trigger, paint is allowed to flow into the air brush where it is subsequently propelled out of the air brush. The further back the needle is pulled from its resting position, the more paint that is allowed to flow. The regulation of the trigger has generally been the means by which air and paint flow have been governed.
The paint regulating needle of the more accurate airbrushes is generally made with considerable precision. The more precisely the needle is made the greater control the artist has in releasing the amount of paint desired. As a result as paint traverses the needle on its way out of the airbrush some is inevitable left or collects on the needle affecting the accuracy of the airbrush. This is particularly true when the airbrush has been used and use has stopped allowing the paint in the airbrush, and on the needle, to dry. In order to remove this paint the artist has had to disassemble the airbrush, remove the needle and clean it. Such an operation is time consuming and is often avoided in the interest of finishing the painting job quickly. By avoiding cleaning the needle, precision in the art is sacrificed by the artist. Further, when the user selects a new color with which to continue the airbrush work the needle must be completely cleaned or the original color will taint the new color.
In the present invention, we have provided a novel needle and handle that allow for the removal of the needle for cleaning, or replacing, without having to disassemble the entire airbrush. In this way the precise work of the artist can be maintained with little or no time loss.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an air brush in which the user may remove the needle for cleaning or replacing without disassembling the entire airbrush.
It is a further object of the present invention to allow great accuracy in using an airbrush by allowing for the quick cleaning or replacing of the paint regulating needle.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.